In a recent interview with Billboard, Steven Victor revealed that despite Drake’s current feelings towards UMG, the label had actually been working hard to protect him a few years ago.
Victor shared that UMG was on the verge of cutting a Pop Smoke album due to a verse from Pusha T, as discussed in a recent GQ feature.
The label believed that Pusha T was targeting Drake in his verse on the song ‘Paranoia,’ causing concerns about its release.
“What happened on the Pop Smoke song is that UMG thought that he was dissing Drake on that song. He wasn’t, but they thought he was,” the manager said.
“Pop Smoke was released on my label [Victor Victor], and obviously I managed Pusha. So, they came to me and said, “‘We’re not going to put this out now, unless you get Pusha to change these lyrics.’ Even though it has nothing to do with Pop Smoke, they’re like, ‘Either he changes these lyrics, or we’re not putting the album out.'”
Victor was absolutely baffled UMG’s push back then and now adding, “What happened to freedom of speech? First of all, he’s not dissing Drake. But how do you get to tell him to just change his lyrics or you’re not putting this album out?”
Ultimately, UMG did get their wish, though. “Paranoia,” which made the deluxe version of Pop Smoke’s most popular record Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon, went on to have different features. Former collaborators Gunna and Young Thug joined the influential drill rapper instead.
